Reverend Hale In The Crucible

Being right is important to everybody. Everyone want’s to be correct, wants their way to be correct. And when their way is challenged, they become defensive and angry. A few people, however, may have a change in thought. Something someone said to them may make them second guess their original thoughts. They start to change their ways, or what they had thought at first until everything becomes obvious and they change, for better or worse. In The Crucible by Arthur Miller, the character Reverend Hale experiences a gradual change throughout the play, due to John Proctor giving him another view to look upon.

In the beginning of The Crucible Reverend Hale is originally called down to Salem to look over Betty--Reverend Parris’ daughter-- for signs of the Devil. Hale is convinced the Devil is in Salem. When Hale is observing Betty, he seems to suspect the Devil is around. When asked if ridding Betty of the Devils influence will harm her, he says, “I cannot tell. If she is truly in the Devil’s grip we may have to rip and tear to get her free.”(Act 1, pg 154, line 800) showing his suspicion is growing. Finally, he confirms his suspicions and tries to wake Betty. He believes the Devil is near and Betty has been the victim of witchcraft. Also, when he is trying to get Tituba to

With John Proctor coming with his own evidence that what the girls are doing is all simply fake, Hale is starting to sway. Hale says he had already signed 72 death warrants, and dared not sign another unless he had flawless proof they were guilty. He is starting to falter in his belief. He says to Danforth that his hand is still shaking after signing off Rebecca Nurse earlier in the morning. After signing off so many people to die, Hale is starting to feel responsible of all the deaths that are possibly unjustified. Hale says “There is blood on my head! Can you not see the blood on my head!!”(Act 4, pg 201, line